Chapter 175: Taking a Concubine and Having a Child to Ensure Safety

Chapter 175: Taking a Concubine and Having a Child to Ensure Safety

Chapter 175: Taking a Concubine and Having a Child to Ensure Safety

Lu Yunyi saw Lao Zhang standing in front of the Lu Mansion from a distance.

He was still the same as before, short and stocky, pacing back and forth in front of the door, looking towards the end of the street from time to time.

When Lu Yunyi saw him, Lao Zhang also heard the sound of horse hooves, and hurried down the steps to check, and saw the black warhorse galloping towards him at a glance.

Although not as conspicuous as the white warhorse in the palace, such a tall warhorse is rare in Gyeongju.

Old Zhang was excited and waved towards the mansion:
"Qiu He, go tell Madam and Young Madam that the Young Master is back!!"

When Lu Yunyi arrived at the door, Liu happened to be walking out of the mansion with Liu Wanyi and Qiuhe.
"My son, why did you come back so late?"

Liu, as always, hurried down the stairs and came to Lu Yunyi.
The indigo clothes woven from silk and satin chased after him, bringing a natural coolness.

She pulled him into her arms, tears in her eyes and a sad voice.

"Mother, when I return victorious, I will first settle the soldiers."

"Let me take a look." Liu grabbed Lu Yunyi's shoulders and looked him over, a trace of sadness flashing across her face.
"My son has lost weight again. It's really hard to march and fight."

Without waiting for Lu Yunyi to respond, Liu turned around, smiled, and waved:

"Wanyi, come here quickly. You always talk about her. Now that she's back, why don't you dare to come forward?"

Liu Wanyi was wearing an elegant green silk dress with her neck slightly open, revealing a section of her fair neck.

The cuffs are wide and sway in the wind like the flapping of a butterfly's wings. The waist is tied with a thin and soft silk ribbon, outlining the slender waist. The hem of the skirt is loose and flowing, gradually transitioning from green to light blue, fresh and tranquil.

Her fair cheeks and neck were now flushed, and she looked shy.

There was some tears in her eyes, and she looked at Lu Yunyi shyly, bowing slightly:

"Hello, husband. I haven't seen you for a long time. Wanyi misses you very much."

Lu Yunyi laughed, opened his arms and walked over to her quickly, holding her in his arms. Suddenly, he felt a refreshing fragrance coming towards him, adding a touch of coolness to the summer:
"I miss you very much, too."

If Liu Wanyi's face just now was the sunset glow in the sky, then now it was like burning clouds, bright red.

She twisted her body slightly and whispered:

"Husband, how can this be done in public?"

However, there was no trace of blame in his words, but rather a hint of doting.

Lu Yunyi let her go with a chuckle, then turned to look at Qiu He, who was looking forward to it with red eyes, and stretched out his hand to scratch her straight nose fiercely:
"The young master is back, but he doesn't even smile. He cries all day long!"

"No way!"

Qiu He burst into laughter, but more and more tears welled up in her eyes and she quickly covered them with her hands.

Lu Yunyi looked at Liu and asked:

"Mom, Dad isn't home?"

Liu rolled her eyes at him:
"I was so confused from the battle. Now it's daytime and your father is teaching in the school."

Lu Yunyi was confused for a moment, then he blinked and realized that he had indeed forgotten about it.

Come on, come in, the food is ready, it was made by Wanyi and Qiuhe themselves."

"When will father be back?"

Lu Yunyi spoke as he walked, and at the same time winked at the doorman, Lao Zhang, asking him to go to the school and inform his father.

Liu rolled her eyes at him again:
"I knew you were thinking about your father. I've already called him. He won't be back until the class is over. And you're still talking about teaching me tirelessly."

"Know it silently, never get tired of learning, never get tired of teaching,
Since father hasn't come home yet, let's wait a while." Lu Yunyi added hastily.

"Yes, yes, that's it. Since we have to wait for him, Yi'er should go take a bath first.

When we were on the march, I heard that water was very precious. I didn’t know how many times I washed my face, but it became smelly.”

While muttering, Liu looked at Liu Wanyi, raised her eyebrows at her, and said nothing.

Liu Wanyi blushed again, lowered her head slightly, and said softly:
"The hot water is ready. Wanyi will help your husband take a bath."

The bathroom is hidden in a corner of Lu Mansion. In summer, it is filled with lush green bamboos and tall green pines, and a slight coolness is everywhere.

The interior decoration is simple and quaint, and the bluestone on the floor is as smooth as a mirror, and is cleverly engraved with fine anti-slip patterns.

In the corner, a small incense burner quietly exudes a faint fragrance.

In the center of the bathroom, there is a huge stone bathtub.

Compared with the previous simplicity, this time the outer wall of the bathtub had some more complex and delicate patterns, which attracted Lu Yunyi to touch it repeatedly.

"Madam, what is this?"

Lu Yunyi sat back in the bathtub, the water was just the right temperature, and there was steam rising.

Even in summer, washing your body with hot water when you are tired is a rare comfort.

Liu Wanyi gently stirred the hot water, smiling, and said slowly:
"I thought this bathtub was ugly because it was bare, so I asked a craftsman to carve it.
My husband, you may not know that in some wealthy families in Liaodong, their bathtubs are buried deep underground.
This way, the summer is cool and the winter is warm.
If my husband ever becomes an official in Beijing, I will build him a big bathtub so that he can lie in it."

Lu Yunyi looked at the stone bathtub, feeling somewhat helpless.

This was built by him when he was a child, and he also studied civil engineering for a long time.
At that time he only thought he could grow to about 1.7 meters.

But I didn't expect that as I got older, my height would continue to grow wildly. Now I should be about 1.8 meters tall.

The bathtub was spacious but still a bit cramped.

"Thank you ma'am."

Liu Wanyi smiled with her eyes and raised her lips slightly. She leaned closer and whispered:
"My dear, my father sent me a wooden box ten days ago and told me to keep it safe. It is now in the room. What is it?"

Lu Yunyi's eyes narrowed, and he spoke calmly:
"You didn't see it?"

"My father told me not to look inside the box, and it was sealed tightly."

Liu Wanyi bit her red lips lightly, her big, bright eyes sparkling with curiosity.

She had known Lu Yunyi since childhood, so she naturally knew that he was good at tinkering with strange and weird things.

Hearing her say this, Lu Yunyi's face relaxed and he nodded slightly:

"Some confidential things, just don't read them."

Liu Wanyi pursed her lips and continued to help him stir the hot water.

Lu Yunyi also slowly closed his eyes, feeling heavy-hearted.
Now that the ivory plaques and the road pass have been delivered,
He had to start arranging the whereabouts of those grassland people. This was the power he secretly retained, so he had to be extremely cautious.

We can select a few clever people and send them to Yingtian.

Stay near key streets to observe Yingtian's movements, record day and night, and provide intelligence support.

We will also place some people in Beijing to monitor their movements.
Some people should also be arranged at the main transportation routes in the north and south of Zhili. Teahouses and hotels can be set up to gather intelligence from passers-by.
Those founding nobles with profound backgrounds would naturally have people explain to them the major events that happened during the expedition after they returned.
But he was different. He had no roots in Ming Dynasty.
Once he goes out to fight, he will become blind, which is not good.

Only by knowing yourself and your enemy can you win every battle.

If there is no intelligence information to support us, we will have no room for thinking when facing major events, and mistakes will definitely be made.

If you are not careful, you will lose your life.

Thinking of this, Lu Yunyi let out an imperceptible sigh and his brows furrowed even more.

"My dear, is there something bothering you?"

Liu Wanyi asked softly, pressing gently on Lu Yunyi's shoulders with her hands, her face showing concern.

Lu Yunyi did not open his eyes and spoke calmly:
"I am wondering when we can have a child."

ah.
Liu Wanyi let out a soft cry, lowered her head a little bit, and the force of her massage hands became less and less. She said in an inaudible voice:
"Then my husband should stay at home for a while longer." After saying this, she showed some anticipation in her eyes and pursed her lips.
But Lu Yunyi shook his head: "No, the army set out a month ago. If we don't hurry up, we may not be able to catch up with the army."

A trace of disappointment flashed across Liu Wanyi's eyes, and she sighed softly, but she quickly cheered up and spoke in a cheerful voice:
"Then my husband must catch up with the army quickly, otherwise he will miss the reward.

I heard from my father that whenever there is a great victory, His Majesty and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince will summon the meritorious officials together.
My husband is so young and handsome, His Majesty and His Royal Highness will surely appreciate him, and maybe the reward will be higher."

Lu Yunyi was also clear about this. Merit has a time limit. The more recent the event, the greater the impact on a person.

This is why he wanted to end the war in Northeast China as soon as possible.
If you miss the reward, the Emperor and the Crown Prince will be too happy and the reward may be greatly reduced.

However, Lu Yunyi still had some concerns in his heart.
This ruined Yu Tongyuan's plan, but he never took action while in the army, which surprised Lu Yunyi.
Therefore, Lu Yunyi judged that Yu Tongyuan would take action when he returned to Beijing to celebrate his achievements.

Shaking his head gently, Lu Yunyi put aside these thoughts and used other things to divert his attention.

Lu Yunyi smiled and said frankly:
"My wife, your husband has made great contributions in Liaowang County this time. I have captured the three kings. The court will not be stingy with rewards."

Liu Wanyi widened her beautiful eyes and exclaimed:
"Is it the King of Liao and others?"

"nature."

There were twinkling stars in Liu Wanyi's eyes, and her face was full of admiration.
She was from Liaodong and knew a lot about these three kings. Each of them commanded a large group of grasslands with more than 10,000 people under their command.

"My husband is really amazing. He was able to capture three people with only 5,000 soldiers. His Majesty and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince will surely reward you greatly."

As she was speaking, Liu Wanyi suddenly thought of something and her face turned red:
"Thank you for marrying me. If you were to go to the capital alone,
I will definitely be captured as a son-in-law by those dukes, and then even if I want to be a concubine, I won’t be able to compete with them.”

Regarding this matter, Lu Yunyi's reputation as a man of loyalty and righteousness had almost spread throughout Qingzhou City.
Not everyone has the courage to return with great achievements and resolutely marry his childhood sweetheart.

Even in the army, those who didn't know Lu Yunyi knew that he was loyal and righteous.

Although Lu Yunyi had expected such a reputation,
But he didn't expect the reputation to be so famous, and he still underestimated the influence of military merit and official position.

"Even if I go to the capital, those women will only be concubines if they come to me. I will still return to Gyeongju to marry you."

Lu Yunyi smiled and spoke slowly.

It is better to know your partner well. If you marry a powerful woman casually, although it may help your career, it will also be a shackle.

This is what Lu Yunyi thought in his heart.

But to Liu Wanyi, it sounded like the most wonderful words in the world, making her face blush to the extreme.
Her breathing was slightly rapid and she glanced at the tub with some resentment.

"Husband, do you want a child?"

Liu Wanyi moved closer, and hot air came out of her mouth, surrounding Lu Yunyi's earlobe.

"Of course." Lu Yunyi nodded.
Although he is married, he is still too young. Having a child earlier can change the stereotypes of others.

With a family and children, people will become more stable, which is of great benefit for promotion.

"Then why not take in concubines? Take in more, and your husband will have to work harder, and the chances of success will be greater."

Liu Wanyi's eyes were bright and there was a playful smile on the corners of her mouth.

Lu Yunyi suddenly opened his eyes, with a flash of surprise in his eyes.

Liu Wanyi moved closer, rested her head on Lu Yunyi's shoulder, and said softly:
"Qiu He is a lively girl who has served her husband for a long time. Let's start with her.
If my husband enters the capital, what ladies from noble families would want to commit themselves to him?

My husband, you can accept it, the more the better."

Lu Yunyi was stunned. Although he wanted to have three wives and four concubines,

But the business was not yet done, and he had not yet planned to take so many concubines.

Otherwise, when the 26th year of Hongwu arrived, his wives and concubines would kneel in a row and be beheaded together, which would be too spectacular.

"Why do you take so many concubines? Liu Heiying's health is not good. Do you want me to be like him?"

Speaking of interesting things, Liu Wanyi smiled:
"Those mature women have always been sucking bones and eating marrow,

Liu Hei Ying was strong, but he could not resist the women who took turns to eat him.

It's different for husbands. When they take concubines, they choose young women.
They are not keen on sex, so husbands can rest assured.

My father told me that my husband was young and capable, and had made military achievements at a young age.

If there is no big family behind you, it will arouse fear and may even displease His Majesty."

Lu Yunyi's expression became serious. He sat up straight and asked with his head tilted:
"What did your father-in-law tell you? Why is His Majesty unhappy?"

"My father once said that people have seven emotions and six desires, and only when they have all of them can they be considered a complete person.
When superiors use subordinates, they often want to see through them and understand them thoroughly, so that they can use them with confidence.
With a large family to take care of, the husband will certainly work for the court wholeheartedly and will take the initiative to avoid palace struggles and court struggles.

Otherwise, if one mistake is made, the whole family will be executed, wouldn't that be shedding tears in vain? "

Lu Yunyi blinked his eyes, and suddenly some enlightenment came to his mind, as if it was indeed the case.

No one is perfect, and when you are tied to family ties, you have to be more cautious when doing things.

Of course, for the royal family in the palace,
It would be best to have a large family to tie you down to when you are young, and then wait until your sons die out when you are older.

Just like Tang He, Duke of Xin, his sons are almost all dead now.

With no one to inherit such a huge family business, naturally there would be no fight or competition, and the royal family would be most relieved.

Lu Yunyi felt that he could thoroughly explore this point of view and write a summary.

It’s called “Family Responsibility, Political Loyalty and Trust in Imperial Power.”

Seeing that he remained silent for a long time, Liu Wanyi lowered her voice and spoke softly:
"If my husband doesn't like money, doesn't like women, and doesn't have a family to accompany him, then I can only think that my husband likes power.
This is something that the higher-ups cannot rest assured about.
Therefore, for the safety of the family, my husband should expand the family as soon as possible, take more concubines and have more children. "

Lu Yunyi thought it was a bit absurd, but since she had already said it, he simply took advantage of the situation and nodded gently:

"Then let's start with Qiu He. Take her as a concubine tomorrow and ask Liu Hei Ying and his classmates to come to our house for a drink!"

The joy in Liu Wanyi's eyes almost jumped out, and she smiled:
"Husband, you really are thinking about Qiu He."

Lu Yunyi's face froze. How did she learn this trick?
"Ahem. I'm done washing. Please help me change my clothes."

Liu Wanyi bit her red lips with her pearly teeth and exhaled a little hot air. While helping Lu Yunyi wipe his body, she whispered:

"Wait till night, Qiu He and I will serve my husband together."

As the night gradually darkened, Lu Yunyi returned to his room after dinner.
At first glance, I noticed the exquisite wooden box placed in the corner, but the nails embedded in it destroyed the beauty.

He said to Liu Wanyi who followed him:
"My lady, please go take a bath first. Your husband still has some things to do."

Liu Wanyi's face was flushed, and Qiu He, who was following behind her, blushed even more. She stammered and lowered her head without saying a word, not at all as lively as before.

"Then my husband, please be busy first. I will take Qiu He to wash herself first. My husband, please don't come and peek."

"That's natural!"

After the two of them left, Lu Yunyi, who was dressed in casual clothes, dragged the box out.
Taking a deep breath, he gently slid his fingers along the edge of the lid.

Feel every inch of the wood for smoothness, and look carefully for scratches or signs of prying.

Next, he checked the nails one by one to see if they were loose or shifted.

As the inspection progressed, Lu Yunyi's eyes gradually became focused and sharp.

He lifted the box and shook it gently, judging by the sound inside to see if anything had moved.

Fortunately, apart from the slight sound of wood friction, there were no other unusual noises.

Lu Yunyi finally confirmed that the box had not been moved since it was sealed.

He let out a long sigh, excitement in his eyes.

(End of this chapter)